1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cell biology, and more particularly to the synthesis of cells or cell-like systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Methods of altering cellular genomes and membranes are useful for testing hypotheses in the field of cell biology, as well as for the bioengineering of cell models, designer cells and organisms with tailored genomes. One recent approach to designing or altering cells is knocking out genes from bacterial cells to obtain cells with genomes that are smaller than the naturally occurring genome, which nonetheless remain capable of certain functions, such as reproduction. While such approaches afford some ability to learn about genomic function and design, approaches that enable fuller control over the contents of genomes, cell membranes and cell volumes will yield scientific and technological advances through superior experimental control and bioengineering capability.
What is desired is a method for synthesizing cells or cell-like systems so that a desired genome may be installed into a target cell, vesicle or other membrane-bound volume. An approach that allows the use of any genome, whether naturally occurring, manmade, or a hybrid of natural and manmade nucleic acid sequences, allows for the tailoring of the cellular and genomic environment, such as the inclusion or exclusion of materials on various scales (for example, small molecules, proteins, and/or ribosomes or nucleic acid translation and/or transcription systems), and allows for the design of the cellular membrane (again, drawing from naturally occurring membranes, manmade materials capable of forming aqueous compartments, or hybrids of such membranes and materials) will open vast horizons of genomic and cellular experimentation and design to basic research and biotechnological development.